I finally scratched my "71" itch! It is the Browning version with the 20 inch barrel. I've been looking the 71s for a couple of years - the want for one wouldn't go away.

The stock has fairly fancy wood with a few handling dents. The bluing is about 90% or so. I paid $1050 for it including 5 full boxes of ammo, four of which are Winchester factor ammo with the other manufactured by someone else.

The only negative factor is that, although the rifling is very good without any rust, there are two small spots of rust in the chamber. The rifle must have been used in the rain sometime, or whatever, and cleaned but the chamber didn't get totally wiped out.

I've not had a chance to shoot it yet.

As far as I'm concerned the Model 71 has a wonderful feel to it with a crisp action and is well balanced with the 20 inch barrel. I'll get a chance to shoot it next week.

Phil

quote:

Originally posted by PRW:

The only negative factor is that, although the rifling is very good without any rust, there are two small spots of rust in the chamber. The rifle must have been used in the rain sometime, or whatever, and cleaned but the chamber didn't get totally wiped out.

Do I detect a .450 Alaskan in the making?

Congratulations the Mod 71 is an excellent rifle, and the 348 Winchester is an excellent hunting cartridge.

I would clean that chamber throughly with J&B bore paste, as well as the bore, and then shoot it,and let us know how she does.

I did clean the chamber with J&B bore paste - it did a good job of cleaning out the rust and removing all of the "yellow".

The first time out shooting the magazine was real sticky and feeding was difficult. Later I found an accumulation of sticky dried grease that I cleaned out making loading easier.

The chamber does have a small slight depression in one place due to the rust that produces a very slight rise in the case wall when the cartridge is fired. Extraction is easy so I'm thinking that it would not be necessary to rechamber to the improved version of the 348.

The rifle is shooting a little to the left so that will need to be corrected. Overall I really like this rifle.

Love the mod 71 and love the 348 cartridge..I like the 220 gr. Barnes original bullets and most of all I like the Woodliehs..

I am presently without a 348 mod 71 for the first time in many years but have been bargin shopping for a shooter condition rifle for about a year..all I require is a good bore, the outside is of no consequences to me as I'll be sticking it in my saddle scabbard and in the worst of weather.

Ray,

Using a lever action in all kinds of weather raises a question - since I've not used that got wet. Since this 71 I bought had some rust in the chamber, I understand that it's easy to remedy that, however if the action gets soaked, what do you do to prevent rust?

Phil

Used a Win. 71/348 while living in Alaska and plenty of harsh weather most of the time, but if the rifle has rust would think the only reason would be neglect. Used mine in salt air conditions and took extra care to prevent corrosion both inside and outside of the rifle.
The rifle is not going to develop serious rust with the typical downpour of rain, snow, sleet, etc. if it is given proper care. As for the 71, be it original or the Browning, consider it one of the finest hunting rifles of big game.
Only negative is the short supply of ammo and would suggest stocking up on same while it is available.

Spent a life time with a mod. 94 stuck in my saddle scabbard and in some real bad weather..its no different than any other rifle, maintenance is the secret..HOWEVER, I don't recommend packing any really nice rifle in a saddle scabbard in bad weather or even hunting with it in inclimate weather, I have some older worn guns for that,and one SS with a plastic stock for such..An old worn gun need not be a bad gun, My Savage 99F has not a lick of blue and the stock resembles high grade driftwood, but it shoots half to one inch 3 shot groups all day long, it feeds slicker n snot, just ain't purty, have several of these type of guns.

What I'm asking is - do you just spray the action or is there a point where the action has to be detailed stripped? Does water tend to get in where its necessary to partially disassemble the action?

I was fortunate to get 100 rounds of ammo with the rifle, and I'm a reloader. Brass is available at Grafs and currently the Hornady 200 gr FTX's are available. I've got a box of each on order. I'll probably shoot the reloads and save the other. Right now people are asking ridiculous prices for 348 Win ammo on Gunbroker.

I hunted with mine in all manner of nasty weather and never stripped it for cleaning.
Obviously the bolt is open to the rear and exposes the "innards" but easy enough to wipe dry and light oil applied. Never dropped mine in the river/lake but know those who have and they did remove tube spring, plunger, etc. and wipe dry and light oil. Would not suggest taking the action apart for much more to it than say a Marlin 336/95, not necessary unless something broken which is unlikely. Those "old timers" in Alaska have a very high regard for the 71/348 combo and pretty much keep them at arms length anytime in the bush. It is good that you are able to reload for the rifle for as you say, becoming very pricey to buy factory ammo plus you can load better rounds for it.

I bought my 71 Browning on Gunbroker from a shop in West Virginia. It must have seen some of that wet brush hunting. I'm considering installing a Williams Peep sight. For me at least, there's something special hunting with a rifle with a hammer and with the safety cock. It's not so handy if you have to keep unloading and reloading it when moving from one hunting location to another.

Sorry wrong thread.

PRW,
I flush it with WD-40 and blow that out with an airhose once I get home, along with cleaning.

I wipe it down at the end of the day in camp as best I can with an oily rag, and run a bore snake down the barrel..never had any problem...WD-40 is water replacement btw.

For really bad Idaho weather I wax the gun exterior with Johnsons wax, both metal and wood. Always have little 0000 steel wool in camp for surface rust...

In snow or rain a soft thin water repeling case may be called for..I have and old buckskin case that has been treated with all kinds of water proofing stuff over the years for my muzzle loader, but it works equally well for my Sav 99 or Winchester lever guns..

We have a small gun tent in our camp, with a camp made gun rack of sorts and it is not heated so the guns though cold, do not sweat as they tend to do in heated tent. This is especially important with scopes to keep them from fogging.

Im thinking back when I was young and weather was just another day at work..Today I protect my gun by doing my hunting in the early part of the season!!

Ray,

Thanks for sharing - you answered what I was asking for. I envy you guys who have had the opportunity to pack into the back country with horses and all of the other hunting experiences world wide.

Phil

Since my first post on this thread, I got the itch for a 71 and advertised my need on AR classified, and sure enough bought a nice Win. 71 with a receiver sight and a carved Lion on the butt stock and it came with 6 boxes of factory Silvertips and 100 new brass! the carved lion wasn't my cup of tea so I got back on AR and found a nice clean original 71 stock for a more than fair price, so I'm good to go thanks to two fine gentlemen...It shoots good and its sighted in ready for next months cow elk and deer hunting.

Ive owned several 71s over the years, they are just such nice rifles, workmanship is beyond all that's holy and they handle like a 20 ga Boss double!